Sunday, September 30, 2012

About Book Dwarfs, gnomes, fairies, talking animals, and an evil queen – all these and more can be found in The Magic Warble, an enchanting tale of adventure and friendship. Twelve-year-old Kristina Kingsly feels like the most unpopular girl in her school. The kids all tease her, and she never seems to fit in. But when Kristina receives an unusual Christmas gift, she suddenly finds herself magically transported to the land of Bernovem, home of dwarfs, gnomes, fairies, talking animals and the evil Queen Sentiz. In Bernovem, Kristina not only fits in, she's honored as "the chosen one," the only one who can release the land from Queen Sentiz's control. But it's not as simple as it seems. To save Bernovem, she must place the gift she was given, the famous "Magic Warble," in its final resting place. She must travel through the deep forest, climb a treacherous mountain, and risk capture by the queen's "zelbocks" before she reaches her destination. Guided by her new fairy friends, Clover and Looper and by Prince Werrien, a teenage boy, and an assortment of other characters, Kristina sets off on a perilous journey that not only tests her strength but her heart.

Victoria was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, to an Austrian immigrant mother, and a Dutch immigrant father. She now lives in Western Washington with her husband, Russ and their three children, Toby, Kristina, and William. Her other family members are a Chihuahua, named Pipsy, and two cats, named Frodo and Fritz. Besides being an author, Victoria is a home-schooling mother of twelve years and an elementary school art teacher of eleven years. In her spare time, Victoria enjoys managing her two older children's Celtic band. She also loves reading, painting watercolors, hiking, good movies, and just simply hanging out with her family and friends.

My Thoughts

Kristina Kingsly is twelve years old and she dreads going to school. From the time she steps on the school bus, until school is over and the bus she just stepped off of drives away she is teased and bullied. Although the kind bus driver does come to her rescue when things start to get out of hand. Her teacher also stands up for her when the kids in her class start to tease her about being the teacher's pet. Especially since they spied on her and the teacher after class when the teacher gave her a Christmas gift before she headed off for the Christmas holiday's. This made the kids jealous and they teased and taunted her by grabbing her gift box while on the bus. Thankfully the bus driver pulled the bus over and demanded the box be given back.

When Kristina got home and in her room she tried to open the box but the lid would not budge so she gave up and shoved it under her bed.

When she went to bed that night she was awakened by a humming noise like a bug but she couldn't figure out where the noise was coming from. She finally figured out it was coming from under her bed. The gift box was humming! She grabbed the box and tossed it across the room and the lid flew off and the sound got even louder. She looked inside the box and there was a tarnished looking ball the approximate size of a golf ball and as she held it in her hand it got scorching hot and she drop the ball. It bounced and rolled into the laundry chute. When she leaned in to try and grab the ball she lost her balance and fell down the chute but when she got to the bottom of the chute there was not laundry she was outdoors in a strange place and she covered with leaves. Then there with this strange looking little man striking a match to set the leaves on fire. She screamed for him to stop. Of course he demanded to know who she was and why was she in his pile of leaves. She told him about the tarnished ball and that her name was Kristina Kingsly. When she handed him the ball he escorted her to his cottage and pulled out a large book that had her name in the book. He explained to her that the ball was the Magic Warble and she was the "chosen one". She was transported to the land of Bernovem to take the Magic Warble and place it in it's final resting place. In doing so she would save Bernovem from the evil Queen Sentz. This must be done before she could return home.

Two fairies, one that was really rude, would guide her on her journey. Then along the way a not so charming but handsome Prince Werrien volunteered to defend her as he leads her on the journey.

And so her quest began facing the deadly "zelbocks" sent by the Queen to steal away the Magic Warble from Kristina.

This is an adventurous, spine tingling tale of a young girl out to defeat a wicked Queen, her son, zelbocks and an evil dwarf.

Then there were those that did not like the Queen and her evil ways and wanted to help Kristina in her journey. Like the talking animals, the kind dwarf, gnomes and fairies. Not to forget a handsome prince.

Will Kristina survive her journey and place the Magic Warble in it's final resting place in order to save Bernovem? Will she ever see her family again?

I recommend this book to kids with an adventurous heart and mind.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure
I won this book on a giveaway. The author provided me with a free copy of the book. I was in no way compensated for my review. It is my own opinion.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

About BookCourageous Teens is a student-focused presentation of Courageous Living by Michael Catt, senior pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church and executive producer of the hit film Courageous.Catt brings fresh insight to “stories of people in the Bible who displayed great courage when it would have been easier to play it safe . . . (who) challenge me to keep moving forward. They demand that I examine my priorities and deal with anything that brings fear to my heart.”Teen readers will be inspired to resolve to live for God as they learn more about Abraham, Moses, Nehemiah, Ruth, Daniel, and many more.Best-selling youth market author Amy Parker arranges the heart-stirring material into four categories: Courageous Faith, Courageous Leadership, Courageous Priorities, and Courageous Influence. Discussion questions are also included at the end of each chapter.

Michael Catt has served as senior pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia, since 1989 and is executive producer of the popular films Flywheel, Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and Courageous that originated from the congregation. He also authored Fireproof Your Life and founded the ReFRESH revival conference. Michael and his wife, Terri, have two children.

Amy Parker has written more than twenty books for children, teens, and adults including the best-selling A Night Night Prayer and three Mom’s Choice Awards winners. Amy and her husband have two children.
Learn more about Amy Parker...

My ThoughtThis book is a take-off from the film Courageous. Written in mind for our Teens. All Teens should have a copy of this book!

From the back cover of Courageous Teens:

You need the courage to stand strong when everything else is falling apart.

You need the courage to say no when the world entices with diversions.

You need the courage to be a faithful leader of the next generation.

The authors not only use the film Courageous but also the Bible for their resources in writing this book. They have chosen courageous people from the film and from the Bible as roll models for our teens. What better role models than the people God has chosen to lead by example. This book can be used as a devotional, for inspiration, bible study and group bible study. The question presented throughout the book will peak the teens interest and encourage them to apply what they have learned in their daily walk with God.Teens are always looking for a hero. There are so many great warriors, leaders and teachers in the bible.When you think of courageous people and the Bible at the same time who would you choose as a role model?What is holding you back from being a Courageous role model to our youth?

Scripture:"DO NOT BE AFRAID OR DISCOURAGED. BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS." JOSHUA 10:25 (HCSB)I highly recommend this book.I rated this book 5 out of 5.Disclosure:I received a free copy of this book from HANDLEBAR-Central and B&H Publishing Group for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. It is my own opinion.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

When a girl at school starts bullying Madelynne, she decides she doesn’t want to go to school anymore. Too scared to stand up to the bully or tell the teacher, Madelynne confides in the only one who will understand, her best four-legged friend TayTay.After an especially bad day, Madelynne hides in her room and refuses to play with anyone. In an effort to cheer her up, her sisters accidently discover the portal to Maddie World, sweeping them all into an epic adventure!

But Maddie World is suffering from some bullying of its own. The Lava Fairies and Bubble Fairies are at war, and now even once nice Fairies have been mean bullies, locking the Three Lost Kids up in the dungeon.Madelynne and TayTay escape, but can’t free the other two until the retrieve a precious necklace that once belonged to the Bubble Fairies.

To save her sisters and make peace between the two Fairy factions, Madelynne must first face her own fears and learn to stand up for herself even when she’s scared, but without becoming a bully herself.

I was born with ink in my veins and magic in my heart. As a child, where others saw shapes in clouds, I saw words. But I was also an entrepreneur at heart. So when my business arrangement with the Tooth Fairy ended, I went pro by writing my fantastical stories and selling them to all my neighbors.Fast forward…um…many years and many college degrees later…and I am now a published author and reformed journalist.Though I have written in many genres and fields, I am most passionate about the world of the paranormal and fantasy. Look for these exciting young adult paranormal novels from Evolved .

Maddie learns a great lesson in Maddie's World. Maddie had lost so much confidence in herself after being bullied by a girl at school that when she came home from school she just wanted to hide in her room. Her sisters Lexie and Bella tried to cheer her up by bringing in a large cardboard box in her room to play with. As they enter the box they found themselves in Maddie's World in the middle of a Fairy war. Maddie was so frightened but knew she should try and protect her sisters.They were captured by the fairies and sent to a dungeon by the Fairy Queen. The fairies had turned into bullies this was not how Maddie had seen her world. But this was Maddie's World so there must be some quest she is required to preform in order to stop the Fairy war. What could Maddie's do? She was not brave like her sisters had been in their worlds. Would they be able escape from the dungeon? Would the fairies every stop fighting and bulling each other? Not only does Maddie learn to have confidence in herself she also becomes a hero to Maddie's World and is awarded for her bravery. Sometimes we let fear take over in situations. But like the old saying goes. "There is nothing to fear but fear itself." Yes we must be cautious with bullies. A little kindness can sometimes be helpful. If not, then it is time to talk to your parents or your teacher about the bully. The author continues to teach our children valuable lesson in the stories she writes. The illustrations again works well with the author's story and makes it explode off the pages to stir the imagination of the child.I not only recommend this book but the whole series.I rated this book a 5 out of 5.Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author/Evolved Publishing for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. It is my own opinion.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

What if God’s love were like the sun, constant and unchanging? What if one day you realized nothing could take that away?Firebird is a bright orange baby oriole who just loves the sunshine. But whenever a storm blows in, he frets and asks Mama why God allows the rain to take the sun away. When Firebird is finally old enough, his mother gently instructs him to fly up through the thunder and lightning to see what’s on the other side.It’s a rough flight, and just when he’s about to give up, Firebird rises above the storm to discover the sun shining where it always had been.God never lets the storm take the sun away. With that truth in his heart, Firebird continues to bask in the sunshine, but just as important, he learns to rejoice in the rain.

About AuthorAmy Parker has written more than twenty books for children, teens, and adults including the best-selling A Night Night Prayer and three Mom’s Choice Awards winners. Amy and her husband have two children.

About AuthorBrent McCorkle wrote and directed the film Unconditional. His previous movie, The Rift, a metaphoric story about adoption, was a winner in The Doorpost Film Project 2009. Brent and his wife have fivechildren. Firebird is a children’s book that parallels the life of Samantha Crawford, a storybook artist in the inspiring new film Unconditional (scheduled for a theatrical launch in fall 2012) who has lost sight of God’s love.

About BookSamantha Crawford, an acclaimed storybook artist, seemingly had it all until losing the love she cherished most. Now fighting despair, she is obsessed with tracking down the murderer of her husband. With no leads and no hope, Sam prepares to take her life until providence intervenes and she is reunited with her childhood friend, Joe Bradford.

Dying of kidney disease, Joe spends his last days serving fatherless children in an under resourced community. Observing Papa Joe’s tireless love for “his kids,” Sam begins to find new purpose until she comes face to face with her heart’s desire. The innocence and hope of a child competes with the lure of revenge in an effort to show Sam how, even in life’s darkest of circumstances, Love is above all.

About MovieBrent's feature directorial debut is Unconditional, in theaters September 2012. It stars Lynn Collins (John Carter, Wolverine) and Michael Ealy (Takers, Seven Pounds). Brent wrote, directed, and edited the film. He composed the majority of the music for the film as well. We will be adding some of his music/scores to the site soon. Brent is currently writing/developing two original scripts. In addition, he and his team are putting together a multi-picture film slate, scheduled to announce in mid-2013. Stay tuned!RESOURCES:http://www.unconditionalthemovie.com/resources

Unconditional - The Bible Study

Using movie themes, clips, and group interaction, this study will help small groups better see the needs around them, and begin to live a life of unprecedented generosity.Available Now

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

The sound of a Coo is very special. And if we really take time to hear, We will soon learn about the world you see And how to you it may appear. So listen very closely when your baby starts to coo. They are telling you about the wonders of life, which to them are very new. This heartwarming and expressive collection of poems perfectly captures the way babies first experience their environment. Sounds of a Coo features poems that celebrate the magic and wonder of a baby’s world, and help us focus on the way our babies communicate. So cuddle up with your little one and share the rhythmical language of poetry. Your baby will enjoy it as much as you do!

About Kelly LambertAbout the Author: Kelly Lambert’s poetry and children’s books are inspired by the experiences she and her son Sammy share in West Virginia. With a bachelor’s degree in Child Development and Family Studies, Ms. Lambert writes for the importance of children's literature and the enjoyment of each new creation. Look for Loni Lemur Loses His Tooth, coming soon!My ThoughtsSounds Of A Coo has a poem on every other page giving the readers twenty poems that fill a 7 x 10 page from top to bottom with precious words that your baby would surely say to you if they could. Instead we hear precious sounds of a coo telling you about what draw his or her attention. Like your smile or a star in the sky. Maybe they wish to tell you about their first interaction with the family pet. Are the amazing description at the sight of their first snowfall. All of this in the Sounds Of A Coo.The illustrations are so amazing! The babies depicted in this book of poems are beyond adorable and the adult are gorgeous. The colors are bold yet soothing. The illustrator compliments the author's writing with his talent of illustrations.I can't wait to share "SOUNDS OF A COO" with friends and family, especially my grown daughters and their children.There is no doubt in my mind that readers of this book will also want to share this book with their friends and family.It will be a keepsake in my home and hopefully in yours also! I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

DisclosureI received a free copy of this book from the author/Kelly Lambert for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. It is my own opinion.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Bella World (Three Lost Kids, #2)Ages 3-9….A large presence settled behind me. I knew without turning around what I would find, but still I turned……and faced the Dragon.I screamed so loud my throat went raw. TayTay howled and barked in the distance below me. Shots of rainbow lit up the trees, and Madelynne screamed for me. But none of it helped.The green scales and glowing green eyes of the monster the whole village feared hovered just a few inches from my head. Then its claws wrapped around me, scratching me and squishing me in painful ways, and all at once I was flying….Bella is tired of getting blamed every time her sisters lose something. It’s not her fault they misplaced something important, so why does everyone assume she took it? It makes her blood boil that no one appreciates all the things does to help and protect people. Sometimes her anger makes her do things she regrets later.

When she, her two sisters and and their dog TayTay find a watery portal to Bella World, they are surprised to discover a town ravaged by Dragon attacks. But not all is as it seems, a lesson Bella learns when they are sent to stop the Dragon.Together, Bella and Emerald the Dragon learn to control their Dragon Fire, make amends to those they have wronged and in the process find the appreciation and acceptance they sought all along.

With full color illustrations by Josh Evans, Bella World bridges the gap between picture books and chapter books, offering children 4-9 years old a new, exciting reading journey.Look for the rest of the Three Lost Kids Trilogy—Lexie World and Maddie World—if you like enchanted Unicorns, Fairies, and more adventures through magical worlds with great life lessons for kids!Published by Evolved PublishingPublished: April 23, 2012

ISBN-10: 1622530101

ISBN-13: 978-1622530106

Get your copy of Bella World now onAmazon. (Free Kindle apps are available for PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad) If you have Amazon Prime, check it out free on Kindle.

About Kimberly

I was born with ink in my veins and magic in my heart. As a child, where others saw shapes in clouds, I saw words. But I was also an entrepreneur at heart. So when my business arrangement with the Tooth Fairy ended, I went pro by writing my fantastical stories and selling them to all my neighbors.Fast forward…um…many years and many college degrees later…and I am now a published author and reformed journalist.Though I have written in many genres and fields, I am most passionate about the world of the paranormal and fantasy. Look for these exciting young adult paranormal novels from Evolved Publishing.

Check out The Three Lost Kids Trilogy through Evolved Publishing. With full color illustrations, this unique chapter book series for 3-9 year olds follows three sisters as they enter magical worlds and learn important life lessons from the new friends they meet there.

and, The Three Lost Kids Series continues with:The Three Lost Kids and The Death of the Sugar Fairy (coming Oct. 2, 2012) Halloween will end forever if The Three Lost Kids can’t save the Sugar Fairy. But will they survive the Sugar Bugs, Cavity Cave and the attack of the Giant Gummy Bears?The Three Lost Kids and The Christmas Curse (coming November 26th, 2012)- It’s every kid’s dream-Christmas everyday! What happens when that dream turns nightmare? Can the Three Lost Kids break the Christmas Curse before it’s too late?

The Three Lost Kids and Cupid’s Capture (coming Jan. 2013)-Cupid’s been captures, and this Valentine’s Day will be full of broken hearts if the Three Lost Kids can’t save Cupid and bring love back to the world.When I’m not writing, editing and writing some more, I spend my time with my three little girls who think they are princess ninjas with hidden supernatural powers, our two dogs who think they are human, and the one man who is my soul mate and writing partner.

Here is a family portrait from Lexie World (The Three Lost Kids, #1)

My Thoughts

Here we are with THE THREE LOST KIDS, Book two BELLA WORLD.Bella has been accused by her sister Lexie of taking the magic mirror that Lexie had brought back from LEXIE WORLD. Bella is insulted and feels like no one appreciates her. She becomes angry over the accusation. When her mother tries to confront her about taking the mirror, Bella storms out of the house. She heads for an area where the kids are not allowed venture. Her sisters find her sleeping under a tree by the lake. Something terrible happens and they end up in the water and find themselves in Bella World. They find out from the town's people of Bella World that a dragon is stealing their valuables and burning the town down around them. So this must be the reason they have been transported to Bella World. They must find the dragon and find out why it is being so destructive. Bella knows dragons are suppose to be nice and help people, not cause trouble for them.Excerpt from the Discussion Question at the end of the story.1. Have you ever felt like someone didn't appreciate you for what you did for them? How did you handle it?2. What are some things you can do to calm down and make smart choices when you get angry?Sometimes anger can cause more harm to us than than to the person or situation we are angry at or about.It is like a flame that keeps getting bigger and bigger making it hard to put out the fire. There is no telling how much damage you end up causing to others and yourself. So let your little light shine!The author has done it again! Wonderful story that teaches moral values in a way that children can grasp the meaning. The illustrations created the characters and background images with vibrant colors to depict the true meaning of the author's story. I highly recommend this book. I rated this book a 5 out of 5.DisclosureI received a free digital copy of this book from Evolved for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. It is my own opinion.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Davey dubs himself the luckiest crow in the entire world when he finds a wonderful, shiny object. It even has a fantastic name: “paperclip.” Wow!

One dark and dreary day, Davey’s treasure goes missing, and he is beside himself with grief. Luckily, he knows just how he can find out which of the forest animals is to blame for the theft. Inspired by the torn pages of a Sherlock Holmes story that were used to fashion his nest, Davey calls on the help of Sarah the sparrow to investigate the mystery and, hopefully, retrieve his prize.

Together the two birds begin to collect clues. Their trail leads them straight to Mr. Bushtail, a greedy squirrel who keeps a giant store of objects in a hollowed-out tree trunk. When Mr. Bushtail refuses to cooperate, the two birds have no choice but to break into his tree house in search of the truth.

Justice will prevail and treasure will be found in this intriguing tale of mystery.

Davey the Detective is the second in a new series of color-illustrated books for children entitled The Bird Brain Books.

Series: The Bird Brain BooksWhere to by: AmazonAbout AuthorEmlyn Chand emerged from the womb with a fountain pen clutched in her left hand (true story). Since then, she has always loved to hear and tell stories. When she's not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm Novel Publicity. Emlyn enjoys connecting with readers and is available throughout the social media Internet world. Visit www.emlynchand.comfor more info. Don't forget to say "hi" to her sun conure Ducky!